Rail-joint.



F. K. GOODRICH & G WEST. RAIL JOINT.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 1, 1913 -fwdrlk Wit ssss es t0r U W Atco rn eys CDLUMB A PLANOGRAPII CO WASHINGTON D C FRANK K. GOODRICH AND GRAFTON WEST, OF COALTON, OHIO.

RAIL-JOINT.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented NOV. 11, 1913.

Application filed April 1, 1913. Serial No. 758,280. 7

To. all whom it may concern.

Be it known that we, FRANK K. GOODBIOH and GRAFTON WVEsT, citizens of the United States, residing at Coalton, in the county of Jackson, State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Rail-Joint, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention appertains torail joints, and aims primarily to provide a novel and improved rail joint elim nating the employment of the usual fish plates and bolts.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide novel means for interlocking the rail. ends together in such a manner that they may not separate longitudinally or directly sidewise, a predetermined operation being necessary to lock and liberate the rails.

Another object of the present inventionis to provide means for interlocking the rail ends so that they will be effectively connected to each other in order to withstand the hammering and other conditions to which the joint is subjected in use.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a rail joint which shall be comparatively simple, substantial, durable,

compact and inexpensive in construction, as well as convenient, serviceable and efiicient in its use.

With the foregoing general. objects outlined and with other objects in view, which will be apparent as the nature of the invention is better understood, the present invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed can be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention,

The. preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein Figs. 2 and 8 are sectional views taken on the lines 2+2 and 3-3 of Fig. 1, respectively. Fig. 1 is aperspective view of the end of one rail. Fig. 5 is a view similarto Fig. 4 of the other rail. Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 2, showing the manner of a g e ra l ge he recess 5.

7 other.

In carrying out the invention, reference being had indetail to the drawing, the rail ends have been designated by the numerals 1 and 2; The end of the web of the rail 1 is thickened as at 3, while the end of the web of the rail 2 is thickened as at l, the thickened portion 3 extending for a relatively long distance, while the thick-' ened portion 4 extends only a short distance, The thickened portion 3 of the respective rail is recessed at one side, as at 5, while the thickened portion 4 of the other rail is provided with an extension 6 at the same side which is adapted to fit within the The thickened portion 8 has a longitudinal rib 7 extending along the up right wall of the recess 5 and adjoining the base flange of the rail 1, the rib 7 being coextensive with the recess or extending from the end of the rail to the outer end of the recess, while the extension 6 is provided with a complementary longitudinal channel or groove 8 extending throughout its length and adjoining the lower edge, the groove or channel 8 being adapted to receive the rib 7.. The bottom of the recess 5 is inclined from the base flange of the rail 1 toward the rib 7 while the bottom of the extension 6 is similarly inclined or beveled from the outer side or face of the extension 6 to the inner side ortoward the groove or channel 8 provided in the inner side. The inclined or beveled bottom 10 of the extension is adapted to fit snuglyagainst the inclined bottom 9 of the recess 5 when the rib 7 and the grooves are interengaged with each The upright wall of the recess 5 is inclined as at 11, from the rib 7 to the tread or ball of the rail 1, the inner side or face 12 of the extension 6 being similarly inclined from the groove 8 to the top of the extension. The rail 1 is also provided with a lip 13 depending from its tread, the said lip extending from the outer end of the rail, while the extension Ghas a portion of lts outer side cut away, as at 1 1, to. receive the lip 13. The lip 13 provides a"down-' recess 5 to a point short of the end of the Figure 1 is a side elevation of the joint.

provided witha notch 17 adjoining the end of the rail 1 or disposed between the end of the lip 13 and the end of the rail,"while within the channel or groove 8, adjoining the end of the rail 2, there is provided a lug or boss-18. I V V Fromfthe foregoing, it will be noted that the railends are solid, tliefsame beingfashioned invany convenient manner.

r In use, as above indicatedgthe recess 5 is adaptedto receive-the extension 6 to look I the rail ends together, a predetermined operation being necessary tojoinand separate the rails. 7 Thus, toconnect the rails, it is {,15

necessary to swing'the portion 16 of the extension ,6 under and upwardly Within the I lip 13 or'so'oket 15provided thereby, and as the extensionis swung laterally within the recess 5, therib 7 will be received by the groove 8, while the lug 18 will engage in the notch 17 VVhen the rail ends have thus been-engaged together, the lip 13 will lock the extension against lateralor sidewise movement, and thelug 18 in'engaging the notch 17 will lock the rail ends against longitudinal separation although, if desired, the engagement of the lug 18 and the notch 17 may be loose'so as to permit the rails to expand and contract relative to each other, due to atmospheric changes,

- without aiiecting the joint. The base flanges of the rails are spiked to the ties in the usual manner, itbeing noted that fish plates 7 and bolts are eliminated in joining the rails together, the rail ends being so locked together as to withstand the hammering and other conditions to which they are subjected [lug 18" to be disengaged from thenotch 17, in which event, the rails arefree to be separated, either longitudinally or laterally. The ends of the treads andfianges of the i rails' are left plain or unencumbered, al-

though, they may be cut diagonally or .scarfed if desired, and when the rails are locked together, the ends of the treads and base flanges will abut together snugly.

' The other advantages and features of the v present invention will be apparent from the foregoing, taken in connection with the drawing, it being noted that the objects have fbeen carried out satisfactorily; 1 l lavlng'thusdescribed the invention what 1 isclaimed as'anew 'is:-.;

r 1. Ann joint wherein one ,web is'thickened and recessed at one side andwherein the otherrwebjhasan extension to fit into the recess, the first *mentioned rail having a lip idepending fromits tread and the extension having a portion tofswing in back of the lip,

and the recess and extension having portions adapted to interlock when the said portionis swung in back of the lip, to restrain the rails from separating longitudinally.

' 2. 'A rail joint wherein the webof one rail is thickened and recessed at one side and wherein the web of the other rail has an extension to fit intothe recess, the first mentioned rail having a lip depending from its tread and the extension having a portion to swing in back of the lip, and the first mentioned web and extension having an interlocking rib and groove, respectively.

8. A rail joint wherein the web of one rail is thickened and recessed at one side and wherein the other web has an extension to fit into the recess, the first mentioned rail having a lip depending from its tread and the extension having a portion to swing in back of the lip, the first mentioned web having a longitudinal rib alongthe upright wall of the recess, the extension having a longitudinal groove along its inner side to receive the rib, the rib being provided with a notch, and the extension having a lug within the groove to engage the notch.

LA rail joint wherein the web of one rail is thickened and recessed at one side and wherein the other web has an extension to fit into the recess, the first mentioned rail having a lip depending from itstread and extending from end of the recess to a point short of the end of the rail, the extension being cut away to receive the lip and to provide a portion to swing in back of the lip, the first mentioned web having a longitudinal rib along the upright wall of the recess adjoining the baseflange, the rib extending to the end of the rail and being provided with a notch adjoining the end of the rail, the extension being provided with a longitudinal groove in its inner side adjoiningits bottom and adapted to receive the rib, and the extension being provided with a lug within the groove adjoining the end of the respective rail to engage with the said notch.

5. A rail joint wherein the web of one rail is thickened and recessed at one side and wherein the other web has an extension to fit into the recess, thefirst mentioned rail having a lip depending from its tread, the extension being cut away to receive the lip and to provide a port-ion to swing in back of the lip, the first mentioned web having a longitudinal rib along the upright wall of the recess and adjoining the base flange, the extension being provided with a longitudinal groove inits inner side and adjoining its bottom to receive the rib, the bottom of the recess being inclined fromthe base flange of the respective rail toward the rib, the bottom of the extension being inclined from its outer side toward the groove, the upright wall of the recess being inclined from the rib to the as our own, We have hereto afiixed our sigtread of the respective rail, the inner side of natures in the presence of two Witnesses. 10 the extension being incline-d rom the groove to the top of the extension, the rib being pro- RICH 5, vided with a notch, and the extension being provided with a lug Within the groove to Witnesses: engage the notch. THos. J. BAYLEM,

In testimony that We claim the foregoing ERNEST A. GooDRIoH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G, 

